Psalms 49

1Hear this, all ye peoples; Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world,

1To the Overseer. --By sons of Korah. A Psalm. Hear this, all ye peoples, Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world.

2Both low and high, Rich and poor together.

2Both low and high, together rich and needy.

3My mouth shall speak wisdom; And the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

3My mouth speaketh wise things, And the meditations of my heart <FI>are<Fi> things of understanding.

4I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.

4I incline to a simile mine ear, I open with a harp my riddle:

5Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, When iniquity at my heels compasseth me about?

5Why do I fear in days of evil? The iniquity of my supplanters doth compass me.

6They that trust in their wealth, And boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;

6Those trusting on their wealth, And in the multitude of their riches, Do shew themselves foolish.

7None of them can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him

7A brother doth no one at all ransom, He doth not give to God his atonement.

8(For the redemption of their life is costly, And it faileth for ever),

8And precious <FI>is<Fi> the redemption of their soul, And it hath ceased--to the age.

9That he should still live alway, That he should not see corruption.

9And still he liveth for ever, He seeth not the pit.

10For he shall see it. Wise men die; The fool and the brutish alike perish, And leave their wealth to others.

10For he seeth wise men die, Together the foolish and brutish perish, And have left to others their wealth.

11Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, Andtheir dwelling-places to all generations; They call their lands after their own names.

11Their heart <FI>is<Fi> : Their houses <FI>are<Fi> to the age, Their tabernacles to all generations. They proclaimed their names over the lands.

12But man being in honor abideth not: He is like the beasts that perish.

12And man in honour doth not remain, He hath been like the beasts, they have been cut off.

13This their way is their folly: Yet after them men approve their sayings. [Selah

13This their way <FI>is<Fi> folly for them, And their posterity with their sayings are pleased. Selah.

14They are appointed as a flock for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd: And the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; And their beauty shall be for Sheol to consume, That there be no habitation for it.

14As sheep for Sheol they have set themselves, Death doth afflict them, And the upright rule over them in the morning, And their form <FI>is<Fi> for consumption. Sheol <FI>is<Fi> a dwelling for him.

15But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol; For he will receive me. [Selah

15Only, God doth ransom my soul from the hand of Sheol, For He doth receive me. Selah.

16Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, When the glory of his house is increased:

16Fear not, when one maketh wealth, When the honour of his house is abundant,

17For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away; His glory shall not descend after him.

17For at his death he receiveth nothing, His honour goeth not down after him.

18Though while he lived he blessed his soul (And men praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself),

18For his soul in his life he blesseth, (And they praise thee when thou dost well for thyself.)

19He shall go to the generation of his fathers; They shall never see the light.

19It cometh to the generation of his fathers, For ever they see not the light.

20Man that is in honor, and understandeth not, Is like the beasts that perish.

20Man in honour, who understandest not, Hath been like the beasts, they have been cut off!